The tax was first passed and began collecting in January 2003 as a city 1-cent sales tax and expired on Dec. 31, 2007. The second renewal started collecting in January 2008 and sunsets Dec. 31. These funds were specifically earmarked for certain things such as streets and drainage improvements, city economic development funds and community enhancements.

Numerous infrastructure improvements and community enhancements have been made since 2003 with these sales tax revenues. Some of the enhancements are: the Hickey Park concession stand and a fully renovated City Hall. The renovated City Hall has become something that is truly functional and an asset for the city.

Some of the infrastructure improvements/streets and drainage projects are as follows: the complete reconstruction of 4th Street, 4th Street extension (Fairway Boulevard), construction of Sequoyah Way (connecting South Vancouver to 16th and Arkansas Avenue), construction of the North Phoenix extension, improvements to South Glenwood, South Detroit, North Inglewood, construction of the Phoenix Overpass, and the thinning of more than 100,000 linear feet of creek bank.

In addition, each year we overlay miles of our approximately 190 miles of two-lane city streets. To overlay only, it costs approximately $100,000 per mile. The Waco Detention Basin Project is another current project that aims to reduce the water flow and flooding of that area and surrounding areas.

Economic development funds have also been collected as part of our city 1-cent sales tax. These funds are collected and kept in city accounts specifically for the purpose of economic development and any expenditure must be approved by the City Council. These funds are utilized as economic growth opportunities become available.

Current proposed tax renewal, 2014

The proposed renewal would begin collecting in January of 2014 and would provide many benefits to our community:

• Central Fire Station — Funds allocated up to a cap of $6.5 million towards a new fire station. If you aren’t familiar with our current central fire station, I would urge you to go by and visit Chief John Cochran for a tour. I think you’ll quickly see the need and value of a new station.

• Aquatic Center — Funds allocated up to a cap of $7 million towards an indoor aquatic center. The benefit of this facility would reach all of us directly or indirectly. It would provide a service to all age groups within our community such as a place for kids to go swim, water safety courses/swimming lessons, water rescue training, birthday parties, youth leagues and school league competitions, therapy related services and water aerobics for all ages.

• Development funds — A percentage of 6.25 percent will be collected and allocated towards projects such as additional economic development needs, interstate lighting and grant matching opportunities.

• Recreation and Parks — Funds allocated up to a cap of $1.3 million towards park and recreation related improvements and upgrades. Planned projects consist of lighting for selected fields at the city soccer complex (monthly electricity usage will be paid by a private organization as is with our other program agreements) and the construction of a trail utilizing North Phoenix and connecting to different areas of town.

• Streets and drainage — Funds allocated for continued growth and repair of our infrastructure. A drainage improvement project has come before the City in recent weeks with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of Prairie Creek and Engineer’s Ditch. This project has the possibility of being the most comprehensive flooding and drainage project in Russellville’s history.

The Corps has identified $14.8 million dollars worth of needed drainage improvements along these areas. Our portion of these projects would be approximately $7.8 million and the federal government would provide up to $7 million in funding. That’s almost a 50/50 partnership to overhaul our flooding and drainage issues. Without this renewal, the City would not have the funds available to consider partnering with the Corps.

This sales tax is a reinvestment into our own community and taking a progressive approach to move Russellville forward. We have all received the benefits for our tax dollars at work within our community and the benefits would continue with your vote in favor of renewing the sales tax.

I am an alderman and lifelong resident of Russellville, so it’s easy for me to be quite passionate about the benefits the 1-cent city sales tax provides. In closing, I just want you to know that you can feel good, too, about how effectively your city government/employees manage our tax dollars. At the end of the day … we’re all in this together for the greater good of Russellville.

I hope you’ll join me in voting for the tax on Tuesday. It’s vitally important to the future progress of our city!

The part of the sales tax that I support is the aquatic center, first I don't think its a luxury. Apparently some people don't realize that we have a High School Swim Team and they have no where to practice. They have to drive out of town to practice and it puts a strain on the district and the parents.

The Aquatic Center is a luxury, but it's very likely that the university would be very interested in renting it for their own athletic, as they do with other facilities. The college is not likely to reopen their own facility.

New community pools, like the one that just opened in Clarksville, are the rage The are actually splash pads (often padded, too) where kids get wet and show off, but they don't use much water. Pools are being overhauled, because of the danger of older style drain covers that all need to be replaced - at considerable expense, in many case.